Welcome Birthday Guest Kim Fielding!

Prince Teo’s Birthday

by Kim Fielding

Cal Walters and Teofilo Vabriga-Kastav are characters from the novel Drawing the Prince.In all the fairytales and cheesy movies, nobody ever warned about the drawbacks of falling for a prince. Sure, the glamor and money were nice, and if the prince in question was also gorgeous, smart, cultured, and kind, all the better. But then you had to deal with bodyguards, paparazzi, autograph-seekers, and boring ceremonies. And finding a birthday present for your royal boyfriend turned out to be a royal pain in the ass.

What was a boy from rural Nebraska supposed to get for the man who had everything?

“Can I take the blindfold off yet?” Teo asked, his accent as sexy as ever.

“No.”

“If I’m going to be held in bondage, at least you could molest me a bit.”
Cal at whacked at Teo’s wandering hand. “Not while I’m driving. Anyway, we’re almost there.”

True to his word, five minutes later Cal brought the SUV to a halt. “Stay,” he commanded, as if Teo were a puppy instead of a member of Porvunian nobility. Then Cal hopped out, immediately cursing the chill.

The Sandhills in late November could be bone-shatteringly cold. Too bad Teo’s birthday wasn’t during a more temperate season. Ah well. They’d be warm soon enough.

Cal hurried around to the passenger side, opened the door, and helped Teo out. “Have you transported me to the bloody Arctic?” Teo demanded.

“Oh, c’mon. It was like this in town too.”

“Where we were had a lovely meal with your grandmother in her centrally-heated home.”

“Wimp.” Cal laced his fingers with Teo’s and stuck their joined hands into a coat pocket. Then he led them away from the road, onto a flat spot where the scraggly grass had already gone winter brown. At least there was no snow.

Taking a deep breath, Cal reached over and untied Teo’s blindfold, careful to leave the knitted cap in place. Gram had made him that hat for his birthday, using the colors of the Porvunian flag. After unwrapping it, Teo had clutched it to his chest as if it were a priceless treasure.

Now, finally able to see, Teo took in the view: low, rolling hills stretching endlessly without a single human or house in sight. On the horizon, the last oranges of sunset were coloring the sky. To Cal, this was home. And he saw by the glint in Teo’s eyes that Teo saw the beauty here as well.

“What’s this?” Teo said when they’d both begun to shiver. He pointed at the small wooden structure a few yards away. Warm yellow light shone through its windows, and the balloons tied to the front porch made Cal smile. He hadn’t asked for those—they were a fun surprise.

“That, Your Highness, is a tiny house. A couple of people I went to high school with have started manufacturing them. They let me borrow this one.”

In fact, he’d paid them good money to deliver it to this particular spot on the back of a semi and set it up. It wasn’t connected to utilities—it would be here only temporarily—but a generator was enough to run the lights and heat, and the itsy tiny bathroom had a compost toilet. Cal had also gotten permission from the rancher to be here, and he’d had a bed and a few other items delivered.

“Borrow for what?” Teo’s mouth had curled into a soft smile.

“Camping out, sort of.

Not-so-roughing it. Just for one night.”
“You took me to this spot before. It’s where you made that painting. The one that made me first… appreciate you.”

“Yes.” The one that still hung in the rooms they now shared in Teo’s castle. Cal gave him a nervous look. “Do you like your surprise? It’s not… emerald-encrusted underwear, or whatever your family gives you.”

Teo looked deeply into Cal’s eyes. “It’s something only you could give me, and I love it.” He pulled Cal into a fierce embrace.

“Happy birthday, Teo.” Cal planted a kiss on Teo’s cold lips. “Now let’s get inside and heat up.”

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Don’t miss Kim Fielding’s newest book, Caroled! It’s a story in the Bureau series but can be read as a standalone.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Caroled-Bureau-Story-Book-ebook/dp/B08LLCBHVR/
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1049942
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/caroled-kim-fielding/1137961597
and all other e-booksellers

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